Day 51 - Udhampur

Udhampur is a beautiful district located on the banks of four major rivers namely, Chenab, Ans, Tawi and Ujh, in the south-eastern part of Jammu & Kashmir. Udhampur is situated at an altitude ranging between 600 metres to 3,000 metres.Apart from being a municipal council, the district is also a Northern Command headquarters of the Indian Army.The destination has been named after the eldest son of Maharaja Gulab Singh, Raja Udham Singh. Maharaja Gulab Singh was the founder of Dogra rule in Jammu and Kashmir. It is believed that the destination has been carved out from the dense forest where Raja Udham Singh frequently visited for hunting trips.The major part of the population includes Hindus and Dogras. Udhampur is also home to various nomadic Gujjars and Bakarwals. People here speak many languages including Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri and Dogri. Pehari and Goujri are other prominent languages spoken in the district at a large scale.


How to reach here:

By Air: Nearest airport is the Srinagar airport.

By Rail: There are daily trains to Udhampur from Delhi.


Best time to visit: Throughout the year.


Languages spoken: Kashmiri, Urdu and Hindi.


Must eat: Ambal, Khatta Meat, Dal Patt.


Famous Restaurants: Mint leaf.


Places you must visit:

Bhimgarh Fort is also called as the Reasi Fort.The hillock on which the fort is located measures around 150 m in height. It was initially constructed using clay, but a successor of Maharaj Rishipal Rana, who founded Reasi town, built the fort using stones.The fort was renovated again between 1817 and 1841 by Gulab Singh of Jammu and Kashmir. There is a temple, treasury, armoury, pond and different types of rooms inside the fort.



Kalika temple is situated in the Reasi town on a hilltop, near the main Reasi Bus Stand. The temple is around 300 years old and is devoted to Mata Kali. It was built by Pandit Jagat Ram Sharma. The temple is visited during the Navratri festival.



The Babore temples are a combination of six temples that are currently in ruins. The temple architecture is similar to the temples built during the 8th century at Wangath by Lalitaditya. The Babore temples are managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).



Ramnagar Fort is believed to be built by Raja Suchet Singh, who died in 1844 and his wife performed sati near the fort. There is also a Samadhi of Maharani in this fort, at the site where the sati was performed. Tourists can reach this fort by using a narrow bridge over the moat. The fort was renovated and undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1972.



Sheesh Mahal is often called as the Palace of Mirrors and is situated in Ramnagar. Adorned with painted murals and paintings, the palace was built in 1885 by Raja Ram Singh. These murals and paintings depict the stories of Mahabharata, Ramayana and battles fought by Ram Singh and Suchet Singh.




Pap Nashni Bowli is a holy spring situated in the Udhampur District of Jammu and Kashmir. Pilgrims believe that by taking a dip in this holy spring, they will be free from all their sins.
 



Krimchi temples refer to the group of three temples that are considered to be the oldest temples in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Krimchi Village is situated 10 km north-west of Udhampur. The main Krimchi temple is 50 ft high and consists of sculptures of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Parvati. It is believed that this temple was built by the kings of Kushan Dynasty during the 9th century.






Pingla Devi Shrine is located in the Karua village, which is 20 km away from the Udhampur city. It is situated on a small hillock and is easily accessible from the Udhampur-Ramnagar road. The main deity, Pingla Mata is present here in the shape of Pindies.The cave can easily accommodate 500 pilgrims at a time and can be reached by trekking from Karua, which is 6 km away from the temple.



Sheshnag Shrine, situated on the banks of the Mansar Lake, is dedicated to Lord Shesha. There are numerous iron chains kept on a big boulder inside the temple, which are said to resemble the small serpents waiting on the tutelary deity of Lord Shesha.